Mount Elbert

Mount Elbert is a mountain in the state of Colorado in the United States. It is about 14,427 feet (4397m) high.^[1] It is the tallest mountain of the Rocky Mountains. Mount Elbert is the fourteenth-highest mountain in the United States, and the second-highest in the contiguous United States.

Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert seen from Turquoise Lake
Highest point
Elevation	14,427 ft (4397 m)[1] NAVD88
Prominence	9093 ft (2772 m)[2]
Coordinates	39°07′04″N 106°26′43″W[1]
Naming
Etymology	Samuel Hitt Elbert
Geography
Mount Elbert Colorado
Location	Lake County, Colorado, U.S.[2]
Parent range	Highest summit of the Rocky Mountains, Southern Rocky Mountains, and Sawatch Range.[2]
Topo map	USGS 7.5' topographic map Mount Elbert, Colorado[1]
Climbing
First ascent	1874 by Henry W. Stuckle
Easiest route	trail hike (class 1)

Environment

Mount Elbert is in Lake County, Colorado. In Lake County, the average high temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21°C) and the average low temperature is 15°F (-9°C). Lake County has an average snowfall of over 115 inches (292cm) per year.^[3] Weather in the Rocky Mountains can be harsh and change quickly. In the summer, there are often afternoon thunderstorms. It can snow all year, even in July or August,^[4] but Mount Elbert does not have snowpack all year.^[5]

The low areas of Mount Elbert are forested and have many kinds of trees, such as pine, spruce, aspen, and fir.^[6] Because Mount Elbert is very tall, the top of the mountain is an alpine environment. Alpine environments are cold and windy, and trees cannot grow in them.

Some of the animals that live on Mount Elbert are black bears, marmots, mule deer, pikas, and pocket gophers. There are also many species of birds. Elk, grouse, turkey, and bighorn sheep also live on Mount Elbert in the summer.^[6]

Geology

Mount Elbert is part of the Sawatch Range in the Rocky Mountains. Mount Elbert is mostly made of quartzite, which is a metamorphic rock.^[5] Mount Elbert also has intrusions of igneous rock, such as pegmatite, gneiss and schist.^[7]

Climbing

Climbing Mount Elbert does not need special rock climbing or mountaineering equipment. Fit persons can hike (walk) to the top of the mountain. Because of this, Mount Elbert is often called the "gentle giant" of the Rocky Mountains. But climbing Mount Elbert can be dangerous, because it is very tall. People can get altitude sickness. In winter, there is danger of avalanches.